Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming, options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with “progressive jackpot” awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators.
There are slot wagering games that successively display winning paylines with the winning symbol combinations highlighted when the player has achieved multiple wins. However, the display of the winning symbol combinations typically occurs relatively quickly, and the player may quickly become bored with the wagering game.
There are also slot wagering games in the art that implement an “expanding wild” symbol feature. An expanding wild is a wild symbol that becomes wild, e.g., across multiple symbols on a reel. When an expanding wild is implemented, the player's winning symbol combinations are slowly shown one-at-a-time, and then the payouts from the winning symbol combinations are paid. However, the winning paylines are not displayed separately from the winning symbol combinations. Because the winning symbol combinations are slowly displayed one-at-a-time, the player may become bored and cancel the sequence, which gives the player the incorrect impression that few paylines were hit. Accordingly, the player may become dissatisfied with the wagering game and move to a different gaming machine for additional game play.
Wagering games need to include additional features that will maintain the player's interest and enhance entertainment. The present invention is directed to satisfying this and other needs.